The days go slowly on, my preparations are complete. My good friend
Nelson arrived on Monday and took charge of the affair. He was entirely
aware of the Bulteel story, it was the great scandal of twenty-five
years ago. He expressed no opinion as to my marrying into such a family,
but went about the business end with diligence. I made a very nice
settlement upon Alathea, more than he thought was necessary. Then he
spoke of arrangements for possible children, and fixed that, too. I
wonder what she will say when she reads that part! I have settled with
the Duchesse, who is entering into the spirit of the thing with her
usual delicious whimsical understanding, that some time soon after the
wedding she shall ask about ten of our principal mutual friends to come
in the afternoon, and she will present Alathea to them, and if anyone
makes comments upon the matter, she will say that she is the daughter of
an old English friend, and even if Coralie recognizes her as the girl
who was with me at Versailles, she will not dare to say a word about any
protegée of the Duchesse's. She is much too afraid of offending her,
being received at the Hotel de Courville herself on sufferance only
because of her birth and family. As for Maurice, I can manage him! Now I
am beginning to wonder what Alathea would prefer to do? I don't want to
see her until the ceremony, but I suppose I must.